Kill Devil Hills, NC Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must comply
- Landlords of rental units
- Covered units
- Rental, hotel, and motel units
- Standard
- Operational detector per unit
- Approval authority
- Fire official approves type/location
- Statutory basis
- 1989 Session Laws, Ch. 911
Summary
Every rental residential unit in Kill Devil Hills, including hotel and motel units, must have an operational automatic smoke detector in each dwelling unit, with the type and placement approved by the fire official.
Pursuant to Chapter 911 of the 1989 Session Laws, all rental residential units, including hotel and motel units, shall have an operational automatic smoke detector in each dwelling unit. The fire official shall approve the type and location of all automatic smoke detectors.
Full Breakdown
04, AUTOMATIC SMOKE DETECTOR REQUIRED, traces its authority to Chapter 911 of the 1989 North Carolina Session Laws and applies specifically to rental housing rather than owner-occupied homes generally: all rental residential units, including hotel and motel units, must have an operational automatic smoke detector installed in each dwelling unit. 01 as the Kill Devil Hills Fire Chief, Fire Department, or Fire Official, the authority to approve both the type and the location of every detector installed, so a landlord cannot simply install any consumer smoke alarm wherever convenient; placement and model are subject to sign-off. 53 separately criminalizes giving a false fire alarm or molesting a fire-detection or smoke-detection system. 30.
Violations & Fines
Failing to install or maintain an operational automatic smoke detector in a rental residential, hotel, or motel unit violates § 95.04 and is punishable under the general penalty, § 10.99: a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. § 14-4 (fine up to $50) or civil penalties starting at $50 per day for the first 15 days after notice, rising to $100 per day through day 30 and $500 per day after that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kill Devil Hills require smoke detectors in every home?
Who decides where the smoke detector goes?
What law gives the town authority to require this?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kill Devil Hills
Compare Kill Devil Hills to another location·View the North Carolina fire regulations overview
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